“I’m curious about the format you use to write verse. Is it completely free verse or do you give yourself formal constraints in terms of rhythm, line breaks and lengths, etc? Do you consider it a long poem?”

When I write in free verse I usually avoid formal constraints. Though I do love occasional internal rhyme, I try not to overdo it as too much makes the work seem self-conscious and contrived. Instead, I arrange the verse to suggest the rhythm and cadence of the character’s native language or accent. I think of my novels in verse more as theater than as one long poem.

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Karen Hesse- I wrote to you a couple of years ago regarding your book “Lester’s Dog”. I am currently in my third year of college getting my bachelor’s in English, then I am off to get my master’s in Library Science. My dream is to be a children’s librarian, and, as I said, I would love to have that book in my collection. I am interested in the hardcover version of it, and I remember you saying that you have some hardcovers left. You told me to get in touch when I am ready to get it, and though I am not in library school yet, I would love to get it at this time if you wouldn’t mind. I plan on volunteering at my local library soon, one of the options being to read to kids for the summer reading program, and I would love to have the book for that. Plus, I have an adorable cousin who I would like to start reading to, and of course that book is at the top of my list to read to him! Plus when I start an internship at a library and if they have you read to a group of kids, I would like to use it then as well. Plus, I like to read my favorite childhood books to myself sometimes, as it brings joy of sweet memories to my heart! Thank you!
-Joey Pernice.

I would be delighted to send you a hardcover copy of LESTER’S DOG. Fortunately I still have one set aside just for you. Let me know where you’d like me to send it. Congratulations on your accomplishments thus far. You have my best wishes as you advance toward your many excellent goals. Thank you again, for your kind words, Joey. All the best, Karen Hesse

You have no idea how happy and thankful I feel about this! Please send me an email to pernicej07@aol.com so I can send you my mailing information; I would rather not post it publicly here. Thank you again! This is something I will NEVER forget!

Joey, I don’t give out my email address. Why don’t you fold up a self-addressed stamped picture book-sized envelope and send it to me inside another mailer via: Scholastic, 557 Broadway, NY, NY 10012. They’ll forward your mail to me and I’ll get the book out to you.

No problem, Karen. I actually do not have any of those kinds of mailers, so I will just give you my address here. If you would like me to send you a check to pay for shipping needs for the book, I would be more than happy to do so. Just let me know of the amount and I will get it out to you. My address is:

55 Brian Street
New Hyde Park, NY 11040

Please address the package to Joey Pernice. Since my father and I have the same name, that is how we distinguish our mail. If you could autograph the book To Joey, that would be great as well.

Thank you again for being so generous and agreeing to send me one of your last copies of this!

My close friend has been a fan of yours for a few years now. As a writer, I am sure that you know what it’s like to have a book completely change your life. Not long ago, he picked up your novel OUT OF THE DUST while in the hospital and read it front to back in a matter of hours. He claims that the book saved his life, especially the verse about “Music” near the end. It brought inspiration and hope back into his life in a time when he needed them the most. His birthday is coming up and I was wondering if there was any way that you could sign a copy of the book for him. I know that, in his eyes, it would mean the world.

Thank you for everything that you do. You have touched so many lives with so few words.

Dear Laura,
Thank you for leaving such a moving comment. I will be happy to help you out with this. Unfortunately I’ll be out of town for the next week or so, as will my assistant. But we’ll be back in touch with you around the beginning of April and try to figure out how to make this work. With all best wishes, Karen Hesse

I’m delighted to know your class is analyzing Out of the Dust. Because I am reluctant to answer questions about author intention in my books, I’m hoping the student who inquired about the two shape poems might do a little more of a search on this blog to see if answers might be gleaned from my previous responses to other readers. Best wishes, KH

I’m studying Witness in my grad course Young Adult Lit. I was wondering about two things. One, in the verse where Esther Hirsch lists all of the plants she enjoys seeing a learning about from Sara, do the different plants have meanings? I found that ebony spleenwort is native to both North America and South Africa, but has trouble growing in Germany, which seem pertinent to Esther and Leanora’s characters, but could find nothing similar with the other plants. Is the spleenwort just a coincidence, or do the other plants have meanings too?

Two, I found some mentioning that “Revealed Jesus” is supposed to be William Joseph Seymour. But Seymour died in 1922, and the book, which is set in 1924, is talking about him as though he were alive. Can you explain the discrepancy or what I may be missing here?

Thanks so much. I very much enjoyed your very well-researched book and I look forward to discussing it in class.

Dear Nicole, I’m delighted to see the depth of your reading of my book WITNESS. I’d like to take a moment to respond to your thoughtful questions.
In regard to your first question about the plants, they were chosen for the sound. I simply explored the name of plants that grow in Vermont and selected the ones I imagined would delight the ear of my character, Esther. The names and personalities of the characters in WITNESS carry a great deal of symbolic weight but the names of the plants were selected simply for their music. That being said, you are welcome to attribute any symbolism you wish to the plant names. In fact, I’m delighted that you’ve made the attempt to do so.
Regarding your second question…I discovered mention of “Revealed Jesus” in the 1924 newspapers I used in my research. It’s important to remember that news was not reported in the way it is today. Though the 1924 newspaper referred to William Seymour as being both alive and in Texas, he had made the move to California long before his death two years earlier, in 1922. Perhaps the paper was referring to his movement and his followers more than to the man himself. I honestly can’t remember and my research is no longer in my possession (it’s housed at the Kerlan Collection in Minnesota) so I have no way of reviewing the original articles that inspired the “Revealed Jesus” poems. My characters knew only what they read in the paper or what they might have heard in conversation. Authors must decide whether to be true to what their characters actually knew or to give them knowledge which would make the book historically correct though not an accurate portrait of the time. My choice was to keep the book true to what the characters would actually have known. I hope this helps in your understanding of the book. All best wishes, Karen Hesse